Enron was founded in 1985 as a natural gas company but quickly diversified into innovative energy markets.
The company’s rapid growth was driven by visionary leaders like Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling.
Enron pioneered the concept of energy trading, creating a virtual marketplace for electricity and gas.
Analysts and media hailed Enron as a leader in innovation, branding it "America's Most Innovative Company" six years in a row.
The company expanded into broadband services, weather derivatives, and international ventures.
Enron’s aggressive use of mark-to-market accounting allowed it to project massive profits from future contracts.
Its stock price skyrocketed, peaking at $90.75 in 2000, making it a darling of Wall Street.
Thousands of employees and investors believed in the company’s vision, investing their savings and retirement funds.
Beneath the surface, cracks were forming as Enron’s complex financial strategies began to falter.